Holder for articles of magnetic material



Dec. 21, 1954 R. E. PHELON 2,697,804

HOLDER FOR ARTICLES oF MAGNETIC MATERIAL ringweg. 15h, 195g F/G/ 44 .if 44 #ZZA-5 i 5% /NvE/vrop y RUSSELL E. PHA-LUN A TTORNEV United States Patent O HOLDER FOR ARTICLES OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL Russell E. Phelon, Longmeadow, Mass.

Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,758 2 Claims. (Cl. 317-159) The invention relates to a rack or holder utilizing one or more permanent magnets and adapted for holding articles consisting in whole or in part of magnetic material. A holder embodying the invention is particularly adapted for domestic use, as for instance in a kitchen, for holding cutlery, shears and the like. A holder embodying the invention is also adapted for use in a work shop or elsewhere for holding various small machinists or carpenters tools or other small articles. A holder embodying the present invention is in many respects similar to that disclosed in my copending application for Holders for Articles of Magnetic Material, Serial No. y9,134 filed February 18, 1948.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a holder having many of the characteristics of that disclosed in the said copending application but having certain novel and advantageous features of structure for holding the several parts in proper assembled relationship.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawing and from the following description and claims.

In the drawing I have shown two embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction shown, and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a combined plan and sectional view of a holder embodying the invention, this view being taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the holder, this viewshowing various articles held thereby.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the holder.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. l to 5 thereof, 10, 10 are similar permanent magnets which may be formed of a suitable magnetic material, such as an iron-nickel-aluminum-cobalt alloy. As illustrated, there are two such magnets but the number may be varied and for a very small holder a single magnet may suffice. Each magnet 10 has opposite parallel faces at its respective poles, and when two or more magnets are provided they are longitudinally spaced and are so arranged that the pole faces of one polarity are all in one plane and the pole faces of the opposite polarity are all in another plane.

The magnets 10, 10 are positioned with their opposite pole faces at the top and at the bottom and two similar pole pieces 12 and 14 are provided, these being formed of magnetic material such as iron. The pole pieces 12 and 14 are o f the same length and they have horizontal relatively thin at portions 16 and 18 which are held in engagement respectively with the opposite pole faces of the magnets 10, 10. The pole pieces are of substantial length and they extend longitudinally in opposite directions from the magnets. The front edge faces of the thin horizontal flat portions 16 and 18 of the pole pieces are spaced forwardly from the magnets and are in vertical Cab ICC

register with each other and they serve as narrow article holding faces.

The said pole pieces 12 and 14 preferably include not only the horizontal ilat portions 16 and 18 but also vertical flanges 20 and 22 at the rear. The said flanges project respectively downwardly and upwardly and are in vertical register with each other. Preferably and as shown, the said flanges are somewhat shorter than the main horizontal portions and they have downward and upward extensions at their ends.

A liller or body member 24 of nonmagnetic material is provided which has a length approximating that of the pole pieces and which is in engagement at the upper and lower edges with the horizontal portions 16 and 1S of the pole pieces. The body member may be formed of sheet metal, and when so formed it is bent to provide a front wall 26, end walls 28, 28 extending rearwardly from the front wall, and end flanges 30, 30 at the rear which are parallel with the front wall and which extend longitudinally from the end walls. The front wall 26 is at the front of the magnets 10, 10 but it is spaced rearwardly from the front edge faces of the horizontal portions of the pole pieces. The end walls 28, 28 are spaced longitudinally from the magnets, and the end flanges 30, 30 are in engagement with the front faces of the anges 20 and 22 of the pole pieces. The anges 30, 30 of the body member are rigidly connected with the flanges 20 and 22 of the pole pieces, as for instance by rivets at 32, 32. For improved appearance the ends of the flanges 30, 30 may be bent rearwardly to cover the end edges ofthe flanges 20 and 22. The said flanges 30, 30 together with the rivets Serve to hold the two pole pieces 12 and 14 in fixed relationship with each other, the flat portions 16 and 18 of the pole pieces being held in engagement with the top and bottom faces of the magnets and with the top and bottom edges of the body member 24.

The anges 30, 30 are provided with holes 34, 34 for the reception of screws or other devices for the attachment of the holder to a vertical supporting wall at the rear.

The magnets 10, 10 are enclosed within a space bounded at the top and bottom by the horizontal portions 16 and 18 of the pole pieces, bounded at the front by the front wall 26 of the body member, bounded at the ends by the end walls 28, 28 of the body member and bounded at the rear by the flanges 20 and 22 of the pole pieces. The magnets preferably engage the said front wall 26 of the body member, this wall serving to prevent forward movement of the magnets.

For preventing rearward and longitudinal movement of the magnets there are provided two horizontal retaining elements 36 and 38 formed of nonmagnetic material and vertically spaced from each other. The upper element 36 is adjacent and below the horizontal pole piece portion 16 and the lower element 38 is adjacent and above the horizontal pole piece portion 18. Preferably, the retaining elements 36 and 38 are integral parts of a retaining member which comprises not only the said elements but also a vertical rear portion 40. The said retaining member may be a sheet of nonmagnetic material which is folded to provide the said rear portion 40 and the said retaining elements 36 and 38. The said rear portion of the retaining member engages the front faces of the flanges 20 and 22 on the pole pieces to be held thereby against relative rearward movement, and the said rear portion serves to bridge and close the space between the flanges. The length of the retaining member is such that its ends abut against the end walls 28, 28, the said end walls serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the retaining member.

As has been stated, the magnets 10, 10 preferably engage the front wall 26 of the body member, such engagement preventing relative forward movement of the magnets. As shown, the magnets have vertical ribs 42, 42 at the front which engage the said wall 26. The retaining elements 36 and 38 are notched at 44, 44 to receive the upper and lower portions of the magnets, and as shown the magnets have vertical ribs 46, 46 at the rear which extend into and fit the notches. It will be observed that the retaining elements, by reason of their described engagement with portions of the magnets, serve to pre- Patented Dec. 21, 1954` 3 vent relative rearward movement of the magnets and also to prevent relative longitudinal movement thereof.

Figs. 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the invention. The alternative holder includes a relatively flange number of small .magnets 48, `48 .in lieu 'of )the Iwo large magnets 10, 10. The pole pieces and the body member 'are or may be identical in construction with those previously described. The magnets 48, 48 jengage the front wall 26 of the body member, relative forward movement :of the magnets being thus prevented.

:Retaining elements f() and 52 are provided which are .similar to the retaining Aelements 36 and 38, these retaining elements preferably being integral parts of a retaining member which also includes a rear portion 54. Tfhe retaining elements 50 and 52 extend forwardly so that they en- 'gage or approximately engage the front wall 26 of the body member and they 'are .provided with notches which 'receive and fit the upper and lower portions of the magnets 48, 48. It will -be seen that the retaining elements serve to prevent relative rearward movement of the magnets fand also to prevent relative longitudinal movement thereof.

The invention claimed is:

.1. In a :holderfor articles of magnetic material, 'the combination of a plurality of longitudinally spaced permanent magnets having opposite parallel pole faces 'at the top and bottom, the pole faces of one polarity being yall in one plane and the pole faces of opposite polarity being all in another plane, two pole pieces of magnetic material having horizontal flat portions held in engagement respectively with the top and bottom pole faces of the magnets and extending longitudinally ,in opposite directions therefrom which pole pieces have front article holding faces positioned in vertical register with each other and spaced forwardly from the magnets, `a body member of nonmagnetic Vmaterial having `a vertical -front wall between the pole pieces at the front of the magnets and behind the front edge vfaces of the pole pieces which wall engages the magnets to prevent relative forward movement thereof, the .said body member also having vertical end walls connected with the .front walls 'and spaced longitudinally 'from -the magnets, 'and two horizontal retaining elements -o'f 'nonmagnetic material vertically vspaced from each other and connected with the pole pieces which elements are located respectively adjacent and below the horizontal port-ion of the upper pole piece and adjacent and above the horizontal portion of the lower pole piece, the said elements lengaging `at their ends with the end walls of the body member and the said retaining elements having notches therein which receive and t portions of the magnets to prevent .relative .rearward movement thereof and to prevent 'relative `longitudinal .movement `-thereof.

2. In a holder for articles of magnetic material, the combination of a permanent magnet having opposite parallel pole faces at the top and bottom, two pole pieces of magnetic material having horizontal flat portions held in engagement respectively with the top and bottom pole faces of the magnet and extending longitudinally in opposite directions therefrom which pole pieces have front article holding faces positioned in vertical register with each other and space'd forwardly from the magnet, the said pole pieces also having integral flanges `at the rear in vertical register with each other and respectively projecting downwardly and upwardly, a body member of nonmagnetic material having a vertical front wall between the pole pieces at the front of the magnet and behind the yfront edge faces of the pole pieces, the vsaid wall .engaging -t-he magnet to prevent relative forward movement thereof, and a retaining member of nonmagnetic material connected with the pole pieces and comprising a vertical portion at the rear of the magnet in 'engagement with the front faces Vof the said pole piece anges and also comprising .two horizontal retaining elements connected 'with the said Vertical `portion `and .located respectivelya'djacent and below the horizontal portion of the upper pole pieces and adjacent and above the `horizontal portion of the lower pole piece, the said reltaining elements vhaving notches therein which receive fand fit portions of the magnet to prevent relative rearward movement :thereof and to .prevent `relative longitudinal movement thereof.

References Cited :in the file .of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,624,741 Leppke Apr. 12, 1927 2,269,149 JEdgar Jan. 6, 1942 2,337,248 :Koller Dec. 2l, 1943 2,337,249 Koller Dec. v2l, 1943 .2,368,753 Elliott Feb. 6, 1945 2,414,653 Lookholder Jan. 21, 1947 22,426,899 lPantalone Sept. 2, 1947 .2,457,197 Beckmann De'c.`28, 1948 .2,492,238 Roof `vDec. 27, 1949 12,565,624 Phelon Aug. '28, 1951 2,565,625 fP-he'lon Aug. 28., 1951 2,572,514 -Phe'lon Oct. 23., "1951 FGREIGN PATENTS .Number Country Date 291,329 Great Britain May 31, 1928 444,786 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1936 

